Clamp.



No. 883,604. Q PATENTED MAR. 31, 1.908

H. L. WYBTHI CLAMP.

APPLIUDI'IOR' FILED AUGJZG, 1907- HARRY L. WYETH, OF GARRETT, ILLINOIS.

CLAMP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 31, 1908.

Application filed August 26, 1907. Serial No. 390,223.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, I'IARRY L. WYETH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Garrett, in the county of Douglas and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Clamp, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to clamps and is particularly designed for use in stretching wire fences.

The object of the invention is to provide a clamp extending throughout the height of the fence and having novel means whereby a clamping action can be exerted upon all portions of the fence fabric disposed within the clamp.

A further object is to provide simple means whereby the clamping action of the device will increase according to the proportion of the pull exerted thereon in stretching the fence.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists of certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings is shown the preferred form of the invention.

In said drawings: Figure 1 is an elevation of the clamp. Fig. 2 is asection on line 9cm, Fig. 1 and taken in the direction of arrow a. Fig. 3 is a section on line :2c x, Fig. 1, and taken in the direction of arrow 1).

Referring to the figures by characters of reference, 1 designates a body preferably formed of wood and of greater length than the height of the wire fabric to be stretched. One face of this body has a channel 2 extending longitudinally therein and concave in cross section and arranged upon the body at opposite sides of the channel are wear strips 3. Similar wear strips 4 are preferably secured to the opposite face of the body. A stop strip 5 is disposed transversely upon the strips 4 at one end thereof and extending through the other end of the body is an eye bolt 6, the eye 7 of which is disposed adjacent the channel 2 with the opening therein registering with the channel.

A yoke 8 extends around and is slidably mounted upon the body 1 and the ends 9 of the yoke converge and constitute supports for a cam 10 which is pivoted between them and is provided with a concave working face 11. Runner's 12 are mounted on thewear strips 3 and are connected to opposite porof a body 16.

are folded upon the yoke as shown particularly in Fig. 1. These runners serve to hold the yoke in proper relation to the body lat all times.

In connection with the body and cam a pipe or other suitable clamping bar 13 is used, said bar having one end insertible into the eye 7 while the entire bar is designed to extend into the channel 2 and between the body 1 and cam 10. The bar 13 is shorter than the body 1 by at least the width of the yoke 8. An angular rod 14 is designed to be placed upon one face of the body preferably in contact with the wear strips 4 and a hook 15 is provided at one end of this body and designed to engage a similar hook at one end This last mentioned body has a saddle 17 fastened to it and adapted to rest upon the bar 13. Both of the rods 14 and 16 tions of the yoke 8 by means of ears 12 which have links 18 loosely connected to them and one end of bar 13 is inserted into the eye,

7 and against a stop pin 7 While the yoke 8 is moved longitudinally until cam 10 laps the opposite end portion of the bar. By swinging the cam upon its pivot the bar will be forced into the channel 2 and will kink the fabric which has been indicated at 21 and tightly bind it upon the body. It is desirable to arrange the body with the stop 5 uppermost. After the parts have been assembled in the manner described the rods 14 and 16 are hooked around body 1 so that saddle 17 will rest upon the bar as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Chain 20 is thenpulled by any suitable mechanism provided therefor and obviously will cause a clamping action of the rods 14 and 16 upon the bar 13 and body 1. Therefore the clamping action of the body 1 and bar 13 upon the fabric 21 will be increased in proportion to the pull exerted upon chain 20. It will thus be apparent that there will be no danger of the fabric pulling out of position between the bar 13 and body 1 during the stretching operation. Should the bar 13 be pressed inward to any extent as a result of the foregoing operation the cam 10 Will swing downward by gravity and close up any space which may occur between it and the bar.

It will be seen that this device is very simple, durable, and efficient, can be readily placed in position, and its use Will result in the thorough stretching of all portions of a wire fabric irrespective of its width or height.

What is claimed is:

1. A device of the character described comprising a longitudinally channeled body, a retaining device adjacent one end of the channel, a bar detachably mounted within the channel and retaining device, a slidable mem ber upon the body, a clamping element carried by the slidable member and disposed to bind upon the bar, and means engaging the intermediate portions of the bar and body for binding them together, said clamping element being operated by gravity to automatically take up play between the bar and body.

2, In a device of the character described the combination with a channeled body, and a retaining eye adjacent one end of the channel; of a slidable yoke upon the body, a gravity operated cam carried thereby and a clamping bar removably mounted within the channel and insertible into the eye and yoke, said cam being disposed to automatically take up play between the bar and body.

3. In a device of the character described the combination with a longitudinally channeled body, a retaining eye adjacent one end of the channel, and a stop device within the channel and below the eye; of a clamping bar removably mounted within the channel and eye and supported bythe stop device, a yoke slidable upon the bar, a gravity operated clamping device bearing upon the bar and disposed to automatically take up play between the bar and body, and means intermediate the eye and yoke for binding the bar and body together.

4. In a device of the character described the combination with a longitudinally channeled body, a retaining eye adjacent one end of the channel, and a stop device within the channel and below the eye; of a clamping bar revolubly mounted within the channel and eye and supported by the stop device, a yoke slidable upon the bar, a gravity operated clamping device bearing upon the bar and disposed to automatically take up play between the bar and body, a draft device, and means connecting said device with an in termediate portion of the body and bar for binding the same together.

5. A device of the character described comprising a longitudinally channeled body, a clamping bar removably mounted within the channel, fixed means upon the body for engaging one end portion of the bar, gravity operated means movably connected to the body for engaging the other end portion of the bar, said means being movable automatically to take up play between the bar and body, a draft device, and means connecting said device with an intermediate portion of the bar and body for binding the same together.

6. A device of the character described comprising a longitudinally channeled body, a clamping bar removably mounted within the channel, fixed means upon the body for engaging one end portion of the bar, gravity operated means movably connected to the body for engaging the other end portion of the bar, said means being movable automatically to take up play between the bar and body, a draft device, interlocking devices embracing the bar and body and connected to the draft device, and a saddle interposed between one of said interlocking devices and the bar, said devices being disposed to clamp the bar and body together.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

HARRY L. VVYETH.

Witnesses:

WM. I-I. SNYDER, WV. S. CANNON. 

